The Barefoot Groom: Bachelor Billionaire Romance (A Last Play Companion) (16 page)

L
ondon didn’t remember
when Cooper helped her up off the hall floor. All she remembered was him taking her to the lobby and sitting next to her. All she could think about was Tom. Think about summers on the farm and the smell of hay as they mucked out stalls and got into fights throwing hay at each other. She thought of riding with him and spending hours exploring the woods behind their home. She thought of when they’d found that old, abandoned shack in the woods and made it their fort, only to run home that night because they were too afraid of the ghosts.

They’d made a pact never to go back.

She thought of when he’d left for boot camp and how her mother had broken down and cried for days.

She remembered how proud she’d been of him when he’d come home, strong and proud and purposeful. The military had given him a purpose.

She remembered how all he’d wanted this week was for her to come home and see him. Instead, he’d come here to see her.

If she had gone home, none of this would have happened. Another round of sobbing came out of her.

Cooper’s hand covered hers. “London, it’s going to be okay.”

Ripping her hand back, she shook her head and tried to get a hold of herself. “This is all my fault. All of it.” She couldn’t stop crying.

Cooper didn’t speak. He just sat there in a silent, supportive way. It made her feel even worse.

She stood, moving toward the hall and down to Tom’s room.

There was an orderly standing outside of it. “Ma’am, you can’t go in there.”

Wanting to shove the orderly out of the way, she opted to clench her fists and stand there waiting.

Everything hung in the balance. Life. Death. Time. Her life mingling with her brother’s life.

And it was all her fault. Her and her selfishness.

Cooper came toward her.

She couldn’t take it anymore. “Leave!” She shouted. She didn’t deserve him. She couldn’t stand the reminder of it all.

Stunned, he stopped a few feet away. Those dark green eyes looked at her in disbelief.

London had no one to vent on except him. “Just leave!” She shouted before turning her back.

After a few interminable seconds, footsteps sounded his retreat.

C
ooper stared into the fire
. It was Friday night, two weeks since he’d walked away from London in the hospital. The Junto boys would be there soon, but unlike other Friday nights, there were no sounds wafting up to the roof.

He’d had Alana cancel the rest of the retreats for the summer. She’d convinced him to keep the fall retreats intact. But for now, he was leaving, doing what he should have done at the beginning of the summer. Nepal? Rome? He’d thought about going to London, but it just didn’t feel right anymore.

Her face flashed into his mind. He didn’t know why he still couldn’t get her tortured crying out of his mind.

Tom was fine. They’d discharged him after five days. Alana kept him informed even though part of him didn’t want to be informed.

When London had told him to leave, he knew…he was making it harder for her.

So he’d left.

Still, he hadn’t been able to let it go. To let her go.

He heard a noise and jerked up, seeing Sterling ascend over the steps onto his roof. “Man, it’s quiet without all the people.”

“Hey.” Cooper nodded to him.

Sterling plopped heavily into the lawn chair next to him. “I assume we’ll be the only ones tonight?”

Kicking up his feet and propping them at the edge of the fire circle, Cooper nodded. “I guess so.” He’d been disjointed from reality lately, barely paying attention to any texts. Leaving his phone, going for long runs, and ironically enough after what happened to Tom, going climbing.

He spent lots of hours at the top of the Tetons looking down and trying to refocus his thoughts. Trying to figure out what the next purpose his life should take. Trying to figure out why
he
didn’t fall off the mountain.

“Dude.” Sterling interrupted his thoughts.

“Don’t tell me I’m broody.” Cooper took a swig of his mango and spinach smoothie.

Sterling looked at his drink. “Man, you’re not even a movie star. Why do you drink those things?”

Cooper couldn’t stop a slow grin. He liked Sterling, even for all his egocentric ways. “You think movie stars got the market on health?”

Sterling took a sip from a water bottle. “No, I think movie stars have to eat healthy for their jobs, but you just eat healthy because it’s like a religion to you.”

Immediately, he thought of London. Trying to sound flippant he said, “The Church of Smoothie. Could be huge.” His thoughts turned back to London. He wondered if she had gone back to Nebraska. He wondered if she felt like her prayers had been answered.

“Man, you’re still broody.”

“I’m not broody.” Cooper retorted. He’d heard that word from Sterling a thousand times over the past two weeks. “’Bout time I get out of here so you stop henpecking me as Hunter would say.”

Sterling turned to him, giving him a once over. “You’re quoting Hunter?” He blew out a breath. “Man, talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel.”

Cooper ignored him.

“So the woman leaves you and the beard comes back?”

Now he’d crossed a line. “Why do you care? Why don’t you focus on your own love life?”

“Yeah, I don’t want to talk about that.”

Cooper gave him a bored look. “Now you’re going to have to spill it.”

Sterling bit his lower lip, signaling his discomfort.

That made Cooper feel slightly better. “What?”

“My agent is setting me up.”

“What?”

He blew out his breath. “There’s this big”—he air quoted—“’masquerade party’ next week, and my agent is setting me up on a blind date for it.”

Cooper grinned for the first time since he’d left the hospital two weeks ago. “Really?”

“Shut up.” Sterling rolled his eyes and stared at the fire. “It’s humiliating, but I’m in between movies, and my agent wants me to have a certain image. You know.”

Cooper rolled his eyes back. “Finding love is never simple, my friend. It never is.”

Both of them sat there staring at the fire.

The only thing Cooper would regret about leaving Jackson was leaving the friendships he’d made there. It was priceless to be able to sit in camaraderie with a friend and stare at a fire.

“So have you heard from her?”

Cooper’s heart picked up speed. “No.”

Sterling grunted.

Cooper didn’t admit that he hadn’t even tried to reach out to her. It’d been tough.

He’d spent two days in constant meditation and, yes, prayer. When he’d discovered Tom had woken up, he’d been so grateful. Part of it was selfish happiness. With Tom better, he was hopeful she would come see him.

After a couple of days of confusion, sadness set in.

Of course, there had been retreats going on, and he’d had to cover up his feelings for the benefit of the attendees, who surprisingly had signed up with greater speed after the media incident.

It’d helped that he’d given the girl he’d thrown a shoe at a more than generous settlement. She deserved it in his mind no matter what Alana or his lawyers said.

Stopping the retreats had been the right decision. He couldn’t try leading people until he figured out what the next step in his own life was. During other times in his life when he’d struggled, he would dive back into research and writing. That had been enough purpose for him, but now he had no motivation for it.

Sterling nudged him. “Dude, you’re going to be fine.”

“I know.”

Sterling shook his head. “You sure you want to leave Jackson?”

Cooper nodded. “I have to.” Leaving was the only thing that felt right.

They lapsed into silence. Only the occasional sound of wood cracking in the fire broke the stillness.

The sound of a truck pulling up to the complex alerted them.

Sterling stood and looked out. “I thought nobody else was coming tonight?”

Cooper stood too. “Me either.”

But there was no mistaking the beat-up red Ford truck and the man who got out.

* * *

I
t didn’t take
Tom long to walk up the stairs.

Cooper met him at the top, putting out his hand and feeling a sense of relief to see him here looking so strong. “Welcome.”

Tom gave him a wide grin. “I figured you wouldn’t mind me coming to thank you in person.”

Cooper had been touched that all comments from Tom’s family had been centered around thanking Cooper for all his generosity. He’d covered the hospital bills and made sure Tom’s flights had been paid for. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

Sterling walked over and stuck out his hand.

Tom put his hand to his chest and let out a light laugh. “Wow, Sterling Pennington. The way you give dignity to a soldier’s life makes me proud.”

Graciously, Sterling nodded. “Thank you. I am so glad you’re okay.”

They shook hands, and Cooper moved them toward the campfire. “Tom, sit.” He pointed to the cooler. “There’re drinks in there. Help yourself.”

Tom went to the cooler and opened it, taking out a water. “Thanks. It was a long drive.”

They all sat, and Cooper refrained from asking about London. “So you’re all healed up?”

Tom leaned back and took a drink. “The military granted me a three-month leave for my head, but I’m good. My dad’s happy he has me for the rest of hay season.”

Cooper smiled. No matter what had happened between him and London, he liked Tom. “Well, I’m glad you came. You’re welcome to stay as long as you want. Unfortunately, I won’t be around. I’m leaving tomorrow.”

Tom looked surprised. “Really?”

“Going to Italy.”

Tom grinned. “Hmm.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out an envelope. “Good thing I caught you then.”

Cooper felt everything inside of him come to a stop. “What’s that?”

Tom dropped it into his lap. “The series of articles on you that London wanted
Rage
to publish.” Tom sat back. “I thought you deserved to see the truth.”

Sterling let out a low growl. “Your sister, the same sister who wrote the other dirt on him, correct?”

Tom cocked his head to the side. “Correct and she hates herself for it. She’s not eating. She’s lost weight. She moved back to the farm.”

“She’s in Nebraska?” Cooper confirmed, hating that he had to know.

The side of Tom’s lip tugged up. “Actually, she’s leaving tomorrow.”

Cooper frowned. “Where’s she going?”

Tom’s grin widened. “I was hoping you’d ask. London.”

Immediately, Cooper knew why. “The convention.”

Tom laughed. “I knew you’d know.”

Clutching the envelope, Cooper stood, suddenly gaining that sense of purpose he’d sought for so long.

“Where are you going?” Sterling called out.

Cooper shook Tom’s hand. “Thanks for coming.”

“Coop?”

Cooper turned back to his friend, grinning. “I’m going to London.”

L
ondon sat on the plane
, closing her eyes and trying to let go of the past month of insanity. His face appeared in her mind.

Opening her eyes, she sucked in a long breath. It was funny to her that his breathing techniques really did work.

Too bad she always saw his face when she did them. After Tom had woken, she’d been tempted, so many times to call him or text him.

But she was ashamed. Of what she’d done and of who she’d been.

After Tom had woken, she’d been so grateful. It felt like a no-brainer to go to New York, pack her stuff, and get out of her lease. She’d moved back to Hadley thinking she would start over.

She threw herself into helping her parents and Tom, but Tom quickly got tired of being pampered and told her so.

She worked constantly on her nonprofit. Every day she got more depressed to have been so close to major funding, only to have it all slip through her fingers.

Finally two days ago, Tom and her parents had come to her and told her to go to the convention. It was her dream. She should do it.

She’d argued, saying it cost too much, and it wasn’t the right time.

Tom brought up the forty grand sitting in her bank account.

She’d argued she needed to pay her loans.

Tom had said, “Forget the loans. Do it, London. The loans will be there when you get back.”

Before she had a chance to talk herself out of it, she booked a flight and registered for the conference so that there would be no going back. It felt amazing.

The only regret she had was Cooper.

Using the money to get her dream felt somehow wrong. Even though it was a worthy cause, it’d been at the expense of a good man’s reputation.

When she’d told Tom, he’d told her to soldier up and complete her mission: get funding for human trafficking. Then he’d stormed out of the room and left for two days, refusing to tell anyone where he was going.

This morning, when he’d seen her off at the airport, he’d told her she needed to let go and trust God.

Now, as she thought about his words and stared at the Denver tarmac, she was surprised when she heard someone clear their throat. “Excuse me, is this seat taken?”

Turning, she saw a guy waiting in the aisle, wearing a baseball cap. Startled, she realized it was Cooper.

All speech fled her mind. What was he doing on this flight?

He sat in the center seat next to her.

Immediately, she was assaulted by his distinct tropical cologne. A sudden urge to blink fell over her. Tears started bubbling to the surface.

She owed this man so much. For forgiving her. For helping her brother. For paying for everything.

Scrambling to wipe her face, she shook her head, not believing he was sitting next to her. “What are you doing here?” She stared into his perfect green eyes.

“I heard there’s a human trafficking convention in London.” His tone was serious.

London couldn’t stop the tears. For a moment, she covered her face and cried.

He put his hand on hers. “Please, stop.”

Sniffing, she looked up, wiping beneath her eyes. “But what I did to you was horrible. You shouldn’t forgive me.”

Hesitating for a second, he took her hand. “What if I forgive you for me, not you?”

She shook her head. “No.”

His grin widened. “I recently read this really great article about, well, me.”

Tom’s face flashed into her mind. She thought about how she’d found her computer hooked up to her printer before Tom had disappeared, but she hadn’t put it together.

Her heart raced wildly.

“This article said the way I forgive people doesn’t make me weak. It’s the thing that makes me strong.”

Emotion surged inside of her, she let out a light laugh. “It’s true.”

Cooper gently squeezed her hand and leaned into her, staring right at her lips. “Thank you.”

They both stared at each other and all she wanted to do was kiss him. But she reached for her purse and pulled out his watch.

Cooper stared at it.

She held it out to him. “Some barefoot guy recently taught me…time matters. And I want you to know, I will never forget that every second matters.”

He covered his hand with hers, but seemed to dive into her lips.

There it was—all the joy that rushed between them when they kissed. The stream of energy and light and happiness. The magic.

Pulling back, she gently touched his face. “You shaved again.”

He kissed her, taking her hand over his. “Change.”

She laughed, and then they were kissing again.

She couldn’t believe it. She let herself get lost in the kissing. Then she pulled back and grinned. “Are you manifesting this?”

He let out a laugh. “I think we’re both manifesting it. At least, I hope so. Also, for the record, I love how you want to save the world.”

“You do?”

He nodded.

Cocking her head to the side, her grin widened. “Do we have to save the world barefoot?”

Cooper leaned in and stole a kiss, then stared into her eyes. “Only if you want to.”

She laughed, slipping off her flip-flops. “Absolutely.”